


Strength

by QuietWriter92



Series: What Makes Us Stronger [4]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: AU The one where Oliver has a daughter, Established Relationship, F/M, Future Fic, What makes us Stronger
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-10
Updated: 2014-09-10
Packaged: 2018-02-16 19:55:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2282580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuietWriter92/pseuds/QuietWriter92
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been a year since Oliver found out he had a daughter in Central City. Felicity has had some trouble getting close to the girl but this might just bring them all together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Strength

 

Caroline Kessler-Queen arrived at their house a week later. Felicity had managed to clear out her computer equipment from the guest room the day before. Oliver had bought a single bed and a few things he thought she would need. Felicity picked out the covers and the curtains (although Oliver had said pink, Felicity had ruled blue). Her room was set in neutral tones, and Felicity was worried she might not like it. 

“Caroline, remember when I told you about my wife, Felicity.” Caroline walked in with her father behind her and greeted Felicity. They hadn’t met yet. Oliver had gone over to Central City a few days ago to fill out paperwork and he asked Felicity to go with him. She'd refused, saying she needed to stay incase their jobs needed her. She thought she was getting better at her excuses (she wasn’t). When Oliver came back from his trip he was awestruck, he kept saying, “ _I can’t believe I’m a dad.”_ Felicity didn’t tell him, but every time he said that she felt a stab pain. _She_ had _been a mother,_ a little voice inside her head would scream whenever Oliver would say that. She didn’t want to be mad, she wasn’t mad at anyone in particular, she was… she didn’t know what she was. 

“It’s very nice to meet you.” Felicity said politely offering her hand to the little girl. Caroline was nine years old but looked about seven. She was a small, slender child, she had long blonde hair and big blue eyes. She looked so much like Oliver; Felicity wondered how her mother looked like. 

“You too.” Caroline responded, letting go of Felicity’s hand. 

“All right then, do you want to see your room?” She asked with a slightly forced smile. She was so nervous, she wanted to make a good impression on Oliver’s daughter.

“Okay,” she answered following Felicity down the hall. 

*

“Do you like it?” Felicity asked nervously. The little girl had looked around her new room but had said nothing to Felicity. Caroline walked over to the curtains and touched them softly. 

“I do, it feels calming.” She said before moving towards her bed to sit on it. She bounced a little and smiled. “The bed’s comfy.” She commented, smiling a real smile for the first time. Oliver chose that moment to walk in with her luggage. He rolled in two big suitcases and then went back for two more. 

Felicity didn’t know how things would go from now on but she was confident that it would work out for the best. It was just going to take some time. They soon settled a routine between the three of them: school, job, dinner, job. Felicity often wondered if Caroline could tell what was going on, but if she did she never mentioned it. 

 

***

 

“Where is my dad?” Caroline asked one night as Felicity walked into their house. Caroline was standing by the couch, Laurel  next to her. Felicity was hoping to find the little girl asleep. Felicity locked eyes with Caroline, _she has Oliver’s eyes,_ she thought noticing the worry behind them; Felicity felt her own sting with unshed tears. Although the doctors had said he was going to be fine, she still worried.   _He’s going to be okay,_ she kept telling herself. But she didn't know how she was she going to tell that to his daughter.

I’m gonna get going. I’ll see you guys later.” Laurel said grabbing her bag and hugging Caroline, she then walked towards Felicity and gave her a reassuring squeeze, before letting her go she said in a low voice, “He’s going to be okay.” Felicity closed her eyes for a moment until she heard the front door close. 

“Felicity,” the little girl said with a worried look, “where is he?” Felicity walked towards the sad, scared little girl and pulled her down to the couch so they both satnext to each other.

“He’ll be back later, Care. Something came up at work and he had to deal with it right away.” She lied. It was almost two in the morning and Felicity knew how crappy that lie had been. She’d just hoped Caroline would accept it and let it go, like so many before. But then again it hadn't been this bad.

“He’s hurt isn’t he?” She asked quietly, not looking at Felicity. Her attention was back on the news. A building had collapsed in the Glades. Felicity could still hear the sound of the building falling, crashing, crumbling, and then the static followed by silence.

*

“ _Oliver? Digg! Someone please answer me!” Felicity screamed into the device. Nothing._

 _At the end it had been Sara who answered. She had managed to get them out and to the hospital. They both need medical attention as soon as possible. Felicity was washed with a new worry, she rushed to the hospital to see them._ _In the end everything worked out, but it had been a close call_.

_“I called Laurel, Caroline's still awake.” Felicity heard Sara say, but she couldn’t take her eyes away from Oliver’s unconscious body. He looked so much worse than she expected. She didn’t want to leave his side but she knew that she needed to get home and take care of his daughter._

_“Call me if anything changes.” Felicity said, and after a moment, she kissed her husband tenderly on the forehead before leaving._

*

“I know what he does, what Uncle Roy, Aunt Sara, and you do.” Felicity didn’t know what to say to that. She couldn’t deny it, it wouldn’t be fair to Caroline. Instead she drew her closer, tucking her into her side. Confirming Caroline’s fear, she began to cry softly, her tears soaking Felicity's blouse. She clung to Felicity, who hesitated for a moment before wrapping her arms around the young girl tighter and rubbing her back soothingly.

“He’s going to be fine, we’ll go see him tomorrow.” Felicity said with a more confident voice. They sat there for a few minutes until Felicity spoke again. “We should go to bed. Be well rested to see your dad tomorrow.” Felicity got up and Caroline followed. They both walked towards their rooms but before Felicity went in, Caroline stopped and spoke.

“Can I sleep with you tonight?” She asked timidly. Since Felicity had met Caroline a few months ago, she had never been her source of comfort. She had let Oliver and on occasions Laurel comfort the girl. But right now she felt something inside herself, like finally being able to breath. Something she had locked away long ago. 

Felicity nodded and opened the door to let the girl in. Neither changed, they just climbed into the big bed together, comforted with the other’s presence. Once they were both settled, neither was able to sleep, Caroline turned to Felicity.

“Why do you do what you do?” she asked, Felicity thought of what to say to the nine-year-old girl so she could understand. 

“We do it because we want to make this a safe place. For everyone, for you.” She answered honestly.

“But it’s so dangerous, you can get hurt, daddy’s already hurt.” She reasoned her voice cracking at the mention of her dad. 

“Your right, it is dangerous, but your dad and Uncle Roy and Aunt Sara, they can handle it. They are strong and brave.” Felicity said in a soft voice trying to ease the girl’s worries. 

“But what if you get hurt?” Caroline said so low that Felicity almost didn’t hear it. “Daddy and them, they fight, but you don’t.” Caroline’s tears began to fall again. “I don’t want to loose you, I don’t want to loose my family, not again.” Caroline was now sobbing, her hands over her face. Felicity knew how it felt to loose a part of your family. Felicity’s heart ached and without thinking she reached out and pulled her closer. 

“Shh, it’s going to be okay. We are all going to be okay.” Felicity rubbed the little girls back until she fell asleep. She realised, as she fell asleep, what it was.  _She was a mother._

*

When they walked into Oliver’s room the next day, Laurel and Sara were there talking and laughing. It was a nice sight to see them smiling after last night. As soon as Felicity and Caroline walked in the little girl ran up to her dad, happy to see him smiling at her. Felicity couldn’t help but smile at her family, thankful for them.  _This is our strength,_ she thought. 

**Author's Note:**

> This is the end for now, I have a few ideas for later but at the moment this is done. Thank you for reading it and commenting on it. I really do appreciate it and I am glad that you liked it (if you did).


End file.
